Remembering our 175 Anniversary Celebrations for Eldon House

 

Thursday, September 17
175 Celebration Launch

On September 17, the City of London, Museum London and the 175th Anniversary Committee launched an exciting year-long celebration marking a major milestone for London’s oldest home, Eldon House. Since Captain John and Amelia Harris first moved their family into this brand new home in September 1834, Eldon House has served as the hub of London’s history - and it is now 175 years old. Recognizing Eldon House as a heritage jewel, the anniversary celebration is designed to bring renewed focus to this historic home on Ridout Street, where generations of one of London’s founding families lived until 1960, when the Harris family donated Eldon House to the City as a museum. As such, on hand for today’s ceremony was Tony Little, the great great grandson of John and Amelia Harris, who still resides in London.
 

 

Sunday, October 25, 2009
Through a Land of Extremes, the book launch and story of Teresa Harris in Central Asia

International authors and adventurers Nicholas and Elizabeth Clinch joined us for the Canadian launch of their book, Through a Land of Extremes: The Littledales of Central Asia. Nearly 60 people attended the launch and lecture at Museum London, where the Clinches recounted the daring travels of Teresa Harris and her explorer husband St. George Littledale in the late 19th century.

Born at Eldon House in 1839, as the youngest child of John and Amelia Harris, Teresa went on to travel the world with St. George, including remote Tibet, earning the couple fame as Victorian England's greatest travellers in Central Asia. The Clinch's 313-page book describes in detail their many travels, and acknowledges London archivist John Lutman and Theresa Regnier of the University of Western Ontario for all their research assistance. In addition, the late Peter Smith, program coordinator at Museum London, was thanked for his wide knowledge of Eldon House, the Harris family and early Canada.

This extraordinary presentation was previously delivered to the Royal Geographic Society in London, England and at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. for National Geographic.

The book is available for purchase in the Gallery Shop at Museum London for $25.00 plus GST.
 

 

Tuesday, October 27 to Friday, October 30
Spirits of Eldon

Four successful performances of Spirits of Eldon were held in the Eldon House Interpretive Centre. Theatre Nemesis produced the production that featured seven vignettes on the ghost stories associated with Eldon House. Featured playwrights were: Jason Rip, Josh Cottrell, Steve Seguin, Lynda Martens, Matt Loop and Marion Johnson. Performers were: Jessica Quartel, Norah Cuzzocrea, Jason Rip, Travis Bailie, Laura DiTrolio, Dunbar Thompson and Jayson McDonald.

Sunday, November 8, 2009
From Victoria Park to Wolseley Hall: the establishment of a new London Garrison.

The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum's curator Claus Breede gave a stirring lecture on the military presence in London from the 1800s to today. Just under 60 people attended the lecture in the Eldon House Interpretive Centre and enjoyed tea and cookies afterward.

 

December 3 to December 18
Christmas at Eldon House

Following on the heels of Theatre Nemesis’s successful production of Spirits of Eldon in October 2009, Christmas at Eldon House was opened on December 3 and ran through December 18.
In this Victorian Christmas play, the rooms of Eldon House came to life with members of the Harris family and their servants as they prepared for the big day. Written and directed by Lucy Williams, the play delighted the up to 15 guests for each performance who travelled through Eldon House with the actors. Hot apple cider and Christmas treats for the audience followed the play. The living history play featured actors Peter Luscombe, Anne Mooney, Alexis Szpakowski, Mary Bazely, Elena Reyes, Ronal Vlasic, Lance Mercer, Laura Jean McCann and Donna Szpakowski. Thank you to the production team Lucy Williams, Nancy Johnson, Maureen Spencer Golovchenko, Brenda Fieldhouse, Sandy Daugharty, Tara Wittman and Cathy Luke. Special thanks to The Grand Theatre, Fieldhouse Photography, London Garden Club, Wisdom Tea Shop and Lerners LLP. 

 

January 17, 2010
A Wealth of Historical Interest: The UWO Medical Artifact Collection

A full house greeted Dr. Michelle A. Hamilton, the University of Western Ontario Director of Public History, as she presented an informative lecture tracing the development of health and medicine over the 19th and 20th centuries.

 

February 7
Celebrating Black History Month

University of Western Ontario Faculty of Education doctoral candidate Claudine Bonner gave a riveting presentation of the immigration and settlement of Black families in various communities in Southwestern Ontario. It was an excellent complement to the Home, New Home exhibition at Museum London, on until May 30, which looks at the story of immigration and leaving one's native home to come to a new one.

 

February 14
Romance at Eldon House: A playful look at love, courtship and marriage

Nearly 160 people visited Museum London to hear Grand Theatre artistic director Susan Ferley present a comparison of Amelia Harris and her seven daughters at Eldon House with Mrs. Bennet and her five daughters in Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Afterward members of the 175 Anniversary Committee and friends served a scrumptious tea. Part of the Eldon House Speakers' series. Celebrating Eldon House 175 and Pride & Prejudice, below are (L-R) Grand Theatre Artistic Director Susan Ferley, Town Crier Bill Paul, actor Tamara Paolatto, actor Alexandra Smither, re-enactor Lorna Green portraying Anne Elliot, re-enactor Mike Green portraying Captain Wentworth, actor Rebecca McCauley, actor Jordan Spradbrow and actor Christine McKeon.

February 26
Khanga Party at Eldon House

We celebrated Black History Month in the Eldon House Interpretive Centre with a traditional Khanga party, an authentic African cultural celebration.
 

March 7
The Two Worlds of Eldon House

The 175 Anniversary Lecture Series continued on as Eldon House Heritage Site Coordinator and Art History professor Tara Wittmann presented the Two Worlds of Historic Eldon House: The Servants and the Served, as revealed through their stories and furnishings.

May 9
Mother's Day Tea

In celebration of Mother's Day. This sold-out special event took place in the Interpretive Centre and served as a warm up to Summer Teas now underway each afternoon (except Mondays) on the lawn of Eldon House. For reservations, call 519. 661.5169.

May 16
Heritage Gardens: the blending of gardens past and present

Eldon House was pleased to host London Fanshawe Horticultural Society master gardener Elmer Jorgensen and University of Western Ontario classical studies professor Dr. Kelly Olson, horticultural society president, as part of its 175th Anniversary Lecture Series. presented to a capacity crowd.

May 30
New Poetry London Book Launch

Poetry London's first anthology of poetry Possessions: The Eldon House Poems was officially launched. Published in partnership between Museum London and Poetry London on the occasion of Eldon House's 175 Anniversary, it features work by 27 local poets from London and the surrounding region. Books are for sale at Eldon House, the Gallery Shop and Oxford Book Shop on Richmond Street. $15
 

June 6
Middle Eastern Tea

This tea also offered a rare opportunity to view the traditional Egyptian wall hangings from the Eldon House collection. Visitors enjoyed the musical entertainment of Egyptian-born, master of the quanun, George Sawa. Mr. Sawa, a legend in the world music community, lives in Toronto, and is a specialist in medieval and modern Arabic music. This tea was presented in partnership with the London Chapter of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW).

June 13
Vintage Fashion Show

Thanks to beautiful fashion reproductions created by re-enactor Charlene Roberts, the lawns of historic Eldon House came alive with a Vintage Fashion Show depicting clothing designs of the 19th and 20th centuries.

June 20
Father's Day Strawberry Tea

The sun shone brightly at Eldon House for the annual Strawberry Tea, which helped to launch the 175 Anniversary Garden Walks on Sunday afternoons, hosted by the London Fanshawe Horticultural Society.

July 1
Military Re-Enactment

Canada Day proved very busy for Eldon House, as more than 700 people visited the historic site to witness a military demonstration by the Great War Society Re-enactors, who presented various items and tactics employed by soldiers during the First World War. Thank you to A News for its kind sponsorship of this special heritage celebration on Canada's birthday.